Charles R Cutter

June 15 1956 – November 12 2010

Chuck’s grandma Cutter once told him that he had wheels in his head and he was going places. Those wheels led him down the roads at the age of five in a vehicle, to his Soap Box Derby championship, later outrunning the local police in high school, out- producing the competition on Overton Hill, and through the fields on his farms in West Salem.

Chuck was a successful entrepreneur who started Cutter Oil Company with his wife Beth nearly 30 years ago. Through dedication and perseverance, they grew the company and today all of their children are involved in the family business. Chuck was competitive in everything he did, especially in business. No one was going to beat him at his game, especially not on his home turf. He instilled his determination in his children and it is what drives them today. CJ, Shawn, Kristin and Josh have contributed to Cutter Oil to make it what it is today. Chuck was a well-respected and knowledgeable producer and member of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association.

Chuck always said; don’t forget where you came from. He had a passion for farming that began when he was a child on his family’s farm in Apple Creek, Ohio where he started at the age of three on his dad’s lap on the tractor. For him, farming was part business, part hobby, and one of the ways he taught his kids about hard work and common sense.

He enjoyed vacations and boating with his wife, family, and close friends in southwest Florida. He served on the board of the Punta Rassa Condo Association and Sanibel Harbour Yacht Club where, according to Chuck, common sense was definitely lacking. Chuck was honest and was known to tell people how it is, whether they wanted to hear it or not. He often took younger people under his wing and gave them guidance to reach their goals, especially those that did not have a father-figure in their lives.

Chuck and CJ on location at the Butcher #1less than a month before his passing.

Locally, he was known as the unelected sheriff of Cedar Valley. He was always on patrol on his farm and everyone else’s farm. “The crops are out too late”, “Where were you last night?”, or “You just can’t drive in a straight line!”, he would say. No one got anything by him and everyone always knew where they stood with him too. He was a great storyteller who never forgot a single detail and loved to entertain those around him at his home in West Salem. His 4th of July parties were legendary, and although he complained about all of the work it took to get everything just right, he loved every minute of it.

Chuck touched many lives. He was a friend to many, a father-figure to some, and will forever be dearly loved and missed especially by his wife, his children and their families.

Cutter Oil has a proven ability to get the most out of our wells. Our wells produce more in the beginning and have a much longer life than any competitor, ultimately translating into more money for our landowners.